To remember about battling sin... It is not within your own power

Only the motive of grace--trust in the undeserved favor of God--can inspire us to pursue holiness free from fear and shame.
-- Joshua Harris, Sex is Not the Problem (Lust Is)

My book order came in!

I actually have already read both of the books I ordered before. Several times. I figured it was about time I owned them.

Today was payday, so I may order more books.

Not Be Shaken

I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

This verse has been instrumental in my past couple of weeks. I found it challenging when studying Psalms 16 because the idea that we are not shaken when we center on the Lord is huge.

Then, last weekend when my travel plans changed because of the snowpocalypse, this verse reminded me that I will not be disappointed if my focus is Christ instead of my own desires.

Then at small group Monday night, we read Acts 2, where Peter preaches from this passage. Peter draws the connection between the Holy One who will not see corruption in Psalms 16 and Christ who is greater than David. David focused on God to not be shaken, looking ahead to the promised Messiah to reign on his throne forever.

This morning, another implication of Psalm 16:8 came to light. Nahum is a book of the Bible about how God will punish Nineveh. Nahum 3:12 says, "All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs---if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater." Set the Lord always before you, and you shall not be shaken. If the Lord is not before you, you lose your fruit. You are vunerable to attacks that would not phase you otherwise. You can be shaken.

By focusing on the Lord, I have protection from the outside and from my own disappointment.
How great is our God!

My favorite songs in general and how they affect me today

My favorite hymns:

God Moves in a Mysterious Way--always super amused by the humerous ringtone like song on the last site, but the lyrics are just so rich. This is what I need to remember as the weather changes my plans.

Lessons from the song that I need to remember right now:

• He plants His footsteps on the sea and rides upon the storm
• The clouds will break with blessings on your head
• Though the bud is bitter, the flower is sweet
• God will make His word plain as we search it with faith
• Frowning providence=smiling face

This song I just really like and cannot think about too much.

Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal (third link has lyrics)

• Need to say Hallelujah
• What is coming: Land of perfect rest, mansions of the blessed
• Glory to the great I AM
• Soul fades, our inheritance though Christ does not
• We go there to worship God, not for hedonistic reasons
• This is important now, and worth meditating on, now and forever
• This song always makes me thing of the Grey Havens at the end of Lord of the Rings, which is partly why I like it so much. The image of crossing over the water... love it.
  

The changes in my plans fit into God's plans, and God's way has an incomparable result.